Postage meter and stamping machine combination



MACHINE COMBINATION March 5, 1968 T. L. HILL ETAL POSTAGE METER AND STAMPING Filed March 21 FIG. l

INVENTORS Z H! 4.1,. 1. Z cyan/lack 721E551: CHAR 4. as

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United States Patent @filice 3,371,600 POSTAGE METER AND STAMPING MACHINE COMBINATION Teresa L. Hill, 3225 Berkley Road 16506, and Charles L. Lovercheck, 632 W. 7th St. 16502, both of Erie, Pa. Filed Mar. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 535,890 2 Claims. (Cl. 10145) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The postage meter and stamping machine disclosed herein is provided with a printing mechanism incorporating printing indicia made of ink impregnated rubber. This eliminates the necessity of having an inking mechanism to apply ink to the indicia after each stamp has been printed. Therefore, the inking mechanism is eliminated, yet the function of the inking mechanism is retained by providing the ink impregnated rubber.

This invention relates to a register actuating device in combination with a device for impressing an indicia on an article and more. particularly to this type of register device in combination with an improved device for impressing the said indicia in a unit suitable for use in a metered mail whereby 'an improved stamping metering device is provided.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved mail stamping and cancelling or postage machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mail stamping machine which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and simple and efiicient to use. Yet, another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for impressing a stamp on an article such as an envelope, package or the like in combination with an accounting machine.

With the above, and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, portions, and minor details of the construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the post-age machine according to the invention. FIGURE 2 is an enlarged isometric view of one of the stencils used in the machine. FIGURE 3 is a top view of the indicia which it is intended will be stamped on articles such as an envelope. FIGURE 4 is another embodiment of the invention. FIGURE 5 is yet another embodiment and FIGURE 6 is still another embodiment of the invention.

With particular reference to the drawings and especially the embodiments shown in FIGURE 1, a metered mailing machine is shown which utilizes an accounting structure which is conventional and familiar to those skilled in the art as for example, shown in Patent No. 2,248,257. Theirnprovement herein over the device shown in the said patent relates to the part of the combination which applies the ink to the envelope or the like namely the ink spraying device 70 and the stencil 20.

It will be noted that in the example of the invention shown in FIGURE 1, the stencil 20 has spaced detent receiving openings 30 therein which receive the spaced detent 31 on the value wheel 21.

In the example shown which is understood to be a portion of a mailing machine has a base 10, having side walls 11 and 12, the wall 11 carries the shaft 13 whichhas a drive gear 15 keyed to the inner end thereof. An intermediate gear 16 and a driving gear 17, the inter- 357L600 Patented Mar. 5, 1968 mediate gear being mounted upon a shaft 18 and the driving gear being mounted on a shaft 19. A casing 20' encloses the machine structure.

Within the printing housing is mounted a value wheel 21 which is connected to a suitable gearing 22 with a rack 23.

By means of the setting lever 24 a driving connection is made through a segmental gear portion 25 thereof with a gear 26 and a rack 27. The rack 27 is provided on a rack bar 28 which bar is slidably supported on pins 29 that are fixed to the frame or base 10. The rack bar 28 has teeth 23 on one end which engage the gear teeth of the gearing 22. The gear teeth 27 on the other end of the rack engages the gearing 26. It will be noted that the rack 28 is integral and has the slots disclosed on each end that slidably receive the pins 29.

The register mechanism comprises a total register 37 and a subtracting register 38. Said registers 37 and 38 are suitably supported in a bracket 39 which bracket is pivotally mounted on a shaft 41. The units wheels of said registers 37 and 38 have pinions 42 and 43 associated with respectively and pinion 43 meshes with the idler pinion 44 also carried by the support 39. A transmission gear 45 freely mounted upon the drive shaft 19 is normally adapted to mesh with the pinion 44, which is associated with the subtracting register wheel 38.

Fixed to the drive shaft 19 and adjacent the gear 45 is an actuated gear segment 46, which has a circumferential cam edged portion 47 continuing along a radius to approximately the bottom of the segmented tooth, which edge provides for a register choking operation to be hereinafter described.

A pinion 48 is rotatably mounted upon a stud 49 carried by the setting lever 24 and it is of such width that it is adapted to span and mesh with both the gear 45 and segment 46 when said setting lever is moved to a selected value position. Fixed to said segment 46 is a cam structure, which is provided with two cam surfaces 52 and 53 same being engageable by lugs 54 and 55, projecting on the bracket 39, to elfect positive engagement and disengagement of pinions 42 and 43 of the register mechanism, with the gear 46 during a printing cycle operation.

The operation of this printing and calculating structure will be more particularly understood by the reference to the said Patent No. 2,248,257.

It will be noted that upon rotation of the drive shaft 19, the said segment 46 will be rotated, and on to its engagement with register pinion 42 will cause the pinion to be rotated a distance equal to the number of teeth which will set up. Due to the pinion 48 being engaged with the teeth 45 of the gear, the said gear 45 will be also rotated a distance agreeing with the value stamp, and further, will effect rotation with the register pins 42 and 44 which are engaged therewith.

It will be noted that the operation of the register mechanism herein will control the position of the printing wheel 21. Thus it will control a position of the stencil 20 and the numeral whether one, two, three, four or five, etc. on the stencil 20 will be presented under the spray nozzle 72 corresponding to the tooth 73 on the value wheel 21.

To operate the device the user will first set the desired value by means of lever 24. This will operate through the rack 28 to position value wheel 21 and thereby position the desired numeral on the stencil 20 corresponding to the number set at lever 24. A crank may be connected to shaft 19 and operated to actuate the device the gear 15 and shaft 13 will be moved thus moving the crank 75 and through the linkage 76 actuating the spray nozzle 72 on spray mechanism so that ink indicated at '78 will be sprayed on top of the stencil and thereby through the openings in the stencil onto the envelope or package indicated at 79.

The stencil 20 may be made of a continuous band of relatively thin flexible material such as for example phosphor bronze. It will have openings therein corresponding to the numerals desired and will have the index openings 30' along at least one edge thereof which will be engaged by the teeth 73 on the value wheel 21. The openings will be so spaced that when the stencil 20 is installed in the machine the numeral directly below the nozzle 73 will be in position to impress the indicia on the letter corresponding to the numeral set at lever 24.

The number of bands to print the numerals 81 and 82 for example may be provided and a fixed stencil may be provided to print or spray the words POSTAGE and the words UNITED STATES and also the border indicated at 83. A monogram indicated at 84 may also be printed or sprayed through a fixed stencil. A similar stencil may be used to print or spray the date indicated at 84 and address indicated at 85. It will be noted that the year, month and date may be set up on separate stencils which may be movable to adjust them to the desired position in accordance with well known practice.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 4 the roller indicated at 120 is shown having a crank 121 which would normally be fixed to the cam crank 75 to lower it over the stencil indicated. The roll 120 is moved over the stencil 20 by means of shaft 13. The roller is intended to be made of the type of rubber that contains ink in its pores.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 5 shows a rubber pad containing ink of the type familiar to those skilled in the art. This stamp pad 220 will engage stencil 20 each time shaft 213 is reciprocated by action of cam 339 to force ink through openings in stencil 20 onto a letter or article.

Another embodiment of the spraying device is shown in FIGURE 6 which may be substituted for the spraying device. The device 342 may be a conventional type of artists air brush such as those familiar to persons skilled in the art having a suitable supply of ink and gas under pressure. The air brush will have a nozzle to spray ink on the stencils 20. The air brush is supported on the frame of the stamping machine by means of a bracket 360 which is attached to the frame at 361. Thus, the air brush can swing about the pivot point 362 to provide a uniform spray pattern over the stencils 20. The air brush is indicated having an actuating member 363.

The air brush is actuated and moved by means of the lost motion device shown. The lost motion device is made up of the shaft 313 which will be connected to the shaft 13 in FIGURE 1 and a shaft 314 connected to the shaft 313 by means of the helical tension spring 315. The tension spring has one end connected to the shaft 313 at 316 and the other end connected to the shaft 114 at 317. A ratchet wheel 318 having spaced notches in the periphery is fixed to the shaft 313 and it is restrained to move in a direction to tighten spring 315 by the spring loaded pawl 122. The ratchet wheel 318 has a pawl 330 fixed to it so that on each complete revolution, it will engage the crank 332 and cause the shaft 333 to rock in its bearings 334 by which it is supported on the frame.

The shaft 333 has a crank 335 on the opposite end which will engage the pawl 336 on each revolution to move the point of the pawl 336 out of the notch 337 on the cam 338 which is attached to the shaft 314. The pawl 336 is pivotally attached to the frame of the stamping machine. Cam 339 is fixed to shaft 314 and it engages the actuating member 363. Thus, when the crank attached to the shaft 19 is rotated a complete revolution, the counting mechanism will subtract the amount of the stamp set on the lever 24 and, at the same time, will, during the first part of the revolution, tighten spring 315 as the shaft 313 is rotated. When the shaft 313 is rotated about 350, the pawl 330 will engage the crank 332 and, through the shaft 333, cause the detent 336 to release from the notch 337, thereby allowing the energy stored in the spring 315 to rotate the shaft 314 and cam 339 one revolution.

During the first part of movement of cam 339, it will actuate button 363, starting the device 370 to spray. As the cam 339 continues to rotate, it will compress the spring 340, thereby causing the device 370 to swing about its pivot point 362 to the dotted line position 342. Thus, a uniform pattern will be sprayed on the stencils 20 in the form indicated in FIGURE 3 or in any other suitable form.

The holder 221 is supported in guide members in frame 10. The cam 339 will engage the holder 221 and reciprocate it down into engagement with the top of stencil 20 when the shaft 313 is rotated.

Various changes may be made in the form, size, and minor details of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof as is broadly set forth in the appended claims.

1. A postage meter comprising,

a setting mechanism for setting a predetermined amount,

a stamping mechanism selectively adjustable to print for imprinting a stamp of a predetermined value on a sheet, a register mechanism, means connecting said setting mechanism to said register mechanism,

said stamping mechanism having means connecting it to said register mechanism to position said stamping mechanism to correspond to the amount set on said register mechanism,

actuating means for said stamping mechanism, said actuating means being connected to said register mechanism whereby said amount on said register mechanism is reduced by the amount equal to said value set on said stamping mechanism each time said actuating means is actuated,

said stamping mechanism comprising a member having an opening therein of the form of a numeral corresponding to said value,

and said stamping mechanism further comprising means to direct ink through said opening onto a piece of mail each time said actuating means is actuated, said ink applying means comprising an ink containing stamp member.

2. The machine recited in claim 1 wherein,

said member having said openings therein comprises a stencil,

said stencil comprises a relatively thin rigid member having numerals formed therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 746,786 12/1903 Burdick 101-122 1,785,833 12/1930 Keck 101122 2,248,257 7/1941 Thatcher 235-79 2,499,472 3/1950 Dyal 101-'121 2,884,853 5/1959 Cantoni 101121 X 3,225,690 12/1965 Saeger 101125 X ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

H. DINITZ, Assistant Examiner. 

